Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Perseids Meteor Shower
You could see an average of 90 shooting stars per hour, this weekend.
In the Peacock original near-future theological science fiction show Mrs. Davis (now streaming here), an artificially intelligent algorithm has infiltrated all aspects of modern life. This single bit of software serves as a friend and confidant, answers questions, and sends users on side quests for fun and status.
Sister Simone (Betty Gilpin) is our protagonist, a nun who hates the titular A.I. enough to avoid ever interacting with it. When Simone finally speaks with the artificial Mrs. Davis, she’s granted a single wish (anything she wants, as long as it doesn’t break the laws of physics) and all she has to do in exchange is find the Holy Grail, and destroy it.
If you don’t have the juice for a globetrotting grail quest, you might try making a wish on a shooting star instead. Fortunately, you’ll have plenty of opportunities between now and the end of August, as the Perseids meteor shower approaches its peak.
What Is the Perseids Meteor shower?
The Perseids are often regarded as the best meteor shower of the year, and they occur every summer between July and August, like cosmic clockwork. In addition to being pretty, the warm weather in the Northern Hemisphere makes spending long nights under dark skies a little more comfortable.
The Perseids are a gift left behind by the massive comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the 16-mile-wide comet circles the Sun on its 133-year orbital path, it leaves a trail of dust grains in its wake. Over time, the tail spreads out a little, leaving a diffuse field of dust and particles along its orbital path. That tail persists even when the comet itself is much farther away. And every year, in July and August, the Earth passes through the leftover debris. In a way, the meteors aren't slamming into us, we're slamming into them.
Most of what you see during the Perseids meteor shower are small bits of dust burning up in the atmosphere. Every so often, however, you'll get the chance to see a brilliant fireball, the result of slightly larger particles. They stick around a little longer and leave brighter and more colorful streaks across the sky. The eagle-eyed observer might notice that the meteors appear to emerge from the constellation Perseus, which is where they get their name.
How to See the Perseids
In 2024, the Earth entered the Perseids debris field in mid-July. Little bits of leftover comet are smashing into the atmosphere right now, as you read this, and we're about to hit the big show. The shower will continue through the end of August, with a peak on the evenings of August 11 through 13. When we hit the peak this weekend, you could see up to 90 meteors an hour. Between now and then, the frequency of meteor impacts will increase, before tapering off.
The Perseids can be observed from anywhere on Earth, but the best views are in the Northern Hemisphere, where the constellation Perseus is visible. To find Perseus, look for the W-shaped constellation of Cassiopeia. The triangle formed by the left half of the W points to Perseus, in roughly the same location as Andromeda. That said, finding Perseus isn't totally necessary. All you really need to do is look up and wait.
It's possible to see the Perseids as early as 10:00 p.m., but the viewing will be better after midnight. The Moon will be in the First Quarter phase, about half-illuminated from our point of view, but it will set at about midnight, after which the skies will darken further and viewing will improve. Right around the same time the constellation of Perseus will rise, bringing the shower into clearer view.
For your best shot at seeing the Perseids, check your local weather forecast and head for clear skies. Most meteors burn up or explode well above the cloud tops and you’re unlikely to see them through cloud cover. If you can’t catch the peak or the weather will be bad, it’s better to check out the Perseids in the days leading up to the 11th as they will taper off quickly after the peak. Get as far away from city lights as possible, give your eyes 15 - 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, and enjoy the show.
When you're tired of watching the skies, come back inside and catch Mrs. Davis, streaming now on Peacock.
